In mid-April, the third field visit for exchange of experience took place within the project “Enhancing the restoration, climate resilience and biodiversity value of priority forest habitats within Natura 2000 SCI – LIFE Reforest (LIFE19 NAT/BG/000986), co-funded by the EC, with lead partner Southwest State Forest Enterprise (SWSFE) and associate partner WWF Bulgaria.
The aim of the field visit is to exchange the experience of forestry officials from the country in the field of restoration of priority forest habitats under Directive 92/43 EEC close to natural forests of Quercus pubescens (*91AA), Pinus nigra (*9530), riparian forests (*91E0) and Juniperus excelsa (*9590).
More than 30 representatives of state forest enterprises, Regional Forest Directorate, NGOs and volunteer organizations, Forest seed control station (Sofia), directorates of nature parks and others took part in the trip.
The trip started with a visit to the Lokorsko nursery and a presentation of the work of the working groups on improving the regulatory framework in relation to forest restoration and the program of climate change adaptation measures.
The extraordinary success with the cultivation of Greek juniper saplings was also presented. Other interesting species in the nursery include wild pear (Pyrus pyraster or P. communis), South European flowering ash (Fraxinus ornus), elderberry (Sambucus nigra), European crab apple (Malus sylvestris), field elm (Ulmus minor), Hungarian oak (Quercus frainetto), Austrian oak (Quercus cerris), Pubescent oak (Quercus pubescens)., Sessile oak (Quercus petraea), Quercus robur, cork oak (Quercus suber), Oriental plane (Platanus orientalis), Black pine (Pinus nigra), Greek juniper (Juniperus excelsa), black alder (Alnus glutinos) and others, which will be used for habitat restoration after fires as well as for experimental afforestation with non-native drought-tolerant species.
The second site of the visit was an anti-erosion afforestation near Krupnik village, carried out within the project. The afforestation was an attempt to restore habitat *91AA of the Natura 2000 network, the species used are Pubescent oak, holm oak, South European flowering ash and wild pear. The other main objective is anti-erosion and strengthening of a landslide, and stopping the sediments that during floods accumulate on a section of the route of the international road through the Kresna Gorge. This is the only afforestation in the project with a mainly anti-erosion purpose. The saplings are from the nurseries in Rila Monastery, Lokorsko and Gotse Delchev, with a total restored area of 81ha and 7800 saplings used.
The employees of the Simitli Forestry Unitsaid that the reforestation was difficult because of the distance from roads and the slope of the terrain between 34° and 50°, which in turn makes the work and the transport of materials very difficult. Terraces were built and maintained with hedges. Horses were used to carry some of the materials and saplings.
Other challenges reported included poor soil, constant wind and very dry climate; heavy past exploitation by human activity, grazing in the area. Electric traps have been put up to stop herds in the restoration area. Despite all the difficulties, sapling survival rate is good at over 70%, but anti-erosion results will be seen in 7-8 years.
The last site of the day was with a 46-year-old stand of Oriental plane near the river. Mesta, in the Gotse Delchev Forestry Unit. According to the available data, this is the oldest Oriental plane forest culture in Bulgaria, dating back to 1976. The result is very close to the natural habitat and is therefore accepted as an example of good practice for restoration of riparian forests. The assessment of the plantation shows that it also has good economic characteristics (for more information click here).
The second day started with a visit to an experimental tree plantation with drought resistant species – Calabrian pine (Pinus brutia) near the village of Ablanitsa, carried out by the project “Climate-smart Forest Management for Central and Eastern Europe” – CLIMAFORCEELIFE – LIFE19 CCA/SK/001276, co-financed by the EU.
The Calabrian pine is not typical for Bulgaria and the afforestation is experimental to test whether the species is suitable for the changing climate and trends towards longer drought conditions. Reforestation was carried out in 2023 with saplings from nurseries in Turkey and so far have a high level of interception. Replenishment is yet to be done. If reforestation is successful, there is potential to convert to a seed orchard.
Forestry staff from Garmen State Forestry Unit presented the work on restoration of riparian forest from Natura 2000 habitat *91E0. The reforestation was carried out under the LIFE Reforest project, in a riparian bank with coarse gravel fractions brought by the inflows of the river Mesta, near the village of. Dubnitsa.
The hope is that after about 40 years the habitat will resemble a true riparian forest. The main species are black poplar (Populus nigra L.), white poplar (Populus alba L.), black alder (Alnus glutinosa L.), black elder, field elm, Quercus robur. The black poplar has the best interception and is in the best condition, and in the second half of the year, replenishment of dead black elder and field elm saplings with Quercus robur and black elder was made. Most of the saplings were produced in the nursery in Gotse Delchev. The black poplars were planted deeply (at least 1.2 m) with an excavator, and the oaks, black elder and field elm by making holes with a power auger.
The main challenges that forestry staff face in restoring this forest are drought, the encroachment of invasive species such as white acacia (Robinia pseudoacacia), again the problem of sapling digging by local people, and the potential danger of young saplings being carried away by high water from the Mesta River.
A drop in the water table could also have an impact, creating a risk of desiccation when care and watering of saplings ceases,
Another common problem in riparian habitat restoration was discussed: riparian habitats are often a patchwork of properties owned by different owners, creating administrative difficulties.
It was also concluded that in order for the plantation to be as close to the natural *91E0 habitat as possible, there should be minimal human intervention after the initial reforestation, with the goal of the habitat becoming self-sustaining. A recommendation was also made by Eng. Ivan Koyuv, representative of the SWSFE, that in protected areas where riparian forest restoration is being attempted, it is extremely important to prohibit logging altogether and leave them entirely as natural habitat.
In the territory of the Petrich State Forest Unit, near the village of Churicheni, the field visit participants saw the afforestation with pubesecent oak, which was carried out in an attempt to restore habitat *91AA. The pubesecent oak saplings were produced in the nursery in the village of Churica. Planting was carried out in February and March 2023, with a survival rate of 60%. Part of the reforestation was established on an area where an eagle fern (Pteridium aquilinum) grows. Despite initial expectations that the fern would suffocate the saplings, survival rate was better than on a steep rocky slope next door, possibly because of shading from the fern and grasses or because of the wetter habitat, as preferred by the eagle fern.
The issue of the positive and negative qualities of container and bare root saplings was discussed. Reforestation of the site shows that there is no difference in the survival rate of both types of saplings when rules and best practices for transport, storage and reforestation are followed. The main problem for the area is drought.
The reforested area contains single pubesecent oak trees, one of which is over 100 years old. Engineer Dr. Georgi Gogushev showed on site the natural vegetative regeneration of pubesecent oak with stem cuttings, which often occurs under extreme conditions, for example severe drought or fire. In this way, large areas can be occupied which a given tree species can cover.
The last site in the program was a restoration of Greek juniper, pubesecent oak and black pine, carried out within the LIFE Reforest project, on the territory of the Kresna State Forest Enterprise.
The purpose of the reforestation is restoration after the 2017 Kresna fire, which destroyed a 50-year-old forest culture of black and white pine. In addition to the LIFE program, afforestation has also been carried out under the reforestation measure. Priority was given to planting saplings on completely burnt areas, bare, eroded and steep sites. Black pine, Austrian oak, pubesecent oak, sessile oak, wild pear, Cornelian cherry (Cornus mas) and Greek juniper saplings were used. Harvesting of the burned trees began immediately after the fire, utilizing most of the unburned all-pine timber. Pellets and some grades have been produced. An interesting fact is the partial survival of a chestnut culture, which was restored after the fire with shoots that are now up to 5 m tall and in very good condition. The survival of the chestnut (Castanea sativa) is due to its bark, which does not burn but only smoulders, which in turn has protected the stems from dying completely.
The post-fire afforestation has a mosaic pattern of plots, with coniferous and deciduous areas. The aim has been to avoid creating conifer monocultures. A balance was sought between ecological and silvicultural functions, spatial planning and fire resistance. In April 2024, most of the fire area was self-vegetated with seed and shoot saplings of pubesecent oak, Austrian oak, South European flowering ash, white acacia, white poplar wild pear, and others. The self-vegetated area will largely cover the bare burnt areas and will be a serious constraint to the un-established and still lower forested saplings.
The afforestation is also an attempt to restore priority habitat *9560 and the nearby Tisata Reserve where the main tree species is the Greek juniper. Due to the steep terrain, terraces have been constructed, and reforestation has been challenging due to drought and problems with Greek juniper production. There has been little nursery experience with this species. The first attempt that was made was with young cuttings, the second with old cuttings, and the third, which is the only successful one, was with seeds. This is also the most successful known attempt so far to produce Greek juniper seedlings in the EU.
An area of 420 hectares has been planted, with 48% survival rate the first year, then declining. The best natural regenerators are pubesecent oak and white poplar and chestnut. Drought adversely affects black pine. Another problem that forest staff shared is trampling by livestock, which despite the placement of electric fencing, continues to encroach into the restoration area.
Among the main topics of discussion was the importance of fire planning – landscape/spatial planning to ensure fire resiliency. Fire prevention belt (strips that provide a natural barrier and prevent the rapid spread of fire) are one such example. Additional fire-fighting methods were also commented on, such as high-sensitivity surveillance cameras, as well as systems that allow the nearest team to be dispatched as quickly as possible to take over the case. There are also fire towers in Bulgaria to signal fires, but these are not currently used. The great need for appropriate and effective training for fire services specifically targeted for forest fires was also discussed.
